Fruit-drier



(No Model.)

G. CULLEN.

l FRUIT'DRIBR.

No. 285,018. Patented Sept. 18.1883.

` f77/yf u N. Pnsns Pmxvmppm. wamingmn. n.1;

Y UNITED *STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

CURTIS CULLEN, or. KNoXvILLE, TENNESSEE.

FRUIT-DRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,018, datedSeptember 18, 1883.

' Application filed June,2G,18S3. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, C. CULLEN, a citizen of the United States, residingat Knoxville7 in the county of Knox` and State of Tennessee, haveinvented certain new and usefulImprovements in Fruit-Driers; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters or -iigures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specifica- Athe steam has beencondensed in the hollow shelves, the drier so constructed forming, as anarticle of manufacture, one body independent of and detachable from thefurnace, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective, and Fig. 2 is alongitudinalvertical section cut through the central portion, of my improved drier.

The devices referred to in this application as novel are claimed asimprovements in the fruit-driers patented to J. C. Gunn, December 5,1882, No. 268,399, and to W. Z. Hampton, January 23, 1883, N0. 271,065.

To a boiler, A, and running upwardly, are attached standards a a, -whichsupport at regular intervals aseries of horizontal shelves, one abovethe other. By means of this construction the sides of the drier are leftopen, there- -by securing a free circulation of air between boiler belowis a central open steam passageway, C. At the upper end of thispassageway the steam-exit orifice is contracted7 as at c, in-order thatthe steam ascendingfrom the 5 5 boiler may be somewhat checked andforced into the recesses I), formed bythe top and bottom surfaces of theshelves. Tater is supplied to the boiler through the supply-pipe d andwithdrawn through exhaust-pipe c, the usual 6o faucet, f, beingconstructed thereupon.

Any flat-top furnace or stove E may be used in connection with my drierfor the purpose of heating the water in the boiler.

I am aware that steam-recesses have been heretofore used for the purposeof heating shelves, and that the shelves so heated were placed one abovethe other. I therefore do not broadly claim these devices.

v I am also aware that steam has been supplied 7o to the recesses bymeans of pipes connected with the boiler, and that these-recesses havebeen constructed with dished bottoms similar to those shown in myimproved drier; but the steam-pipes, Vacting also as exit-pipes for theescape of water formed by condensation,were located near the outer edgeof the dished bottom of the recesses, thereby affording no escape forthe water which collects at the lowermost point of the recess; and I amalso aware that 8o perforations have been made for the escape of waterfrom the lowermost point of the dished bottom of the recess; but becauseof the peculiar form of the drier, adopting this system, the water ismade to drip down outside ofthe steampipe, thereby causing more or lessmoisture in `the atmosphere surrounding the fruit on the My form ofdrier, it will be observed, is made separate from and independent of thefurnace, and at the sametime the boiler is connected to the shelves insuch a manner as to formthe recessed shelves, boiler, and openpassage-Way into one compact body. By means of this peculiarconstruction I am enabled to manufacture and supply to the trade acomplete fruitdrier reduced to its simplest and cheapest form andapplicableto any well-known form of iiattop stove or furnace.

I have discovered that the best results are obtained in fruitdrying byproviding the recesses with as free a circulation of steam as possible.For this purpose I construct the free central passage-way, as described,unobstructed by smoke-pipes, internal sectional steam pipes, sleeves, orvalves.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is*- l. In combination with aiiat-top stove or furnace, the detachable fruit-drier constructed l withopen. sides for the purpose of affording free circulation of air, andconsisting oi' boiler, hollow steam-shelves, and open central valvelesspassage-way, substantially as described.

2. In a steam fruit-drier, as described, the central unobstructed steampassage-way and hollow steam-shelves, dished centrally, as set forth,whereby the water from condensation is made to return to the subjoinedboiler from the lowermost point of the steam-recess directly through thesaid central steam passage-way, in the manner substantially as shown.

3. As an article of manufacture, the fruitdrier provided with a boilerand central unob structed passage-way, and constructed separately fromand independent of the furnace, for the purposes hercinbeforeenumerated.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

` .CURTIS CULLEN. Vtnesses:

NV. L. LEDGERWooD, A. J. CAMPBELL.

